go touch grass, kid
because the soft green blades
don’t care about your grades
or potential career paths
or past failures
run in the wind, sport
because your hair’s messed up anyways,
and that’s okay. it’s freeing, isn’t it?
the breath of the world on your skin?
climb a tree, friend
because maybe in the tall, tall branches
you can escape the burden of life—
a brief but much-needed break
jump in the river, heart
because it has lasted before you
and will last beyond you. in
its rushing roaring force,
you are insignificant. you
should find peace in that
observe the stars, human
because they’re already dead.
you must enjoy them
while you can—your life
is far shorter than theirs,
so take a break
and just be. ‘cause
there’s only one you, love.
H. E. Dunkle is a page and stage storyteller, writing poems, plays, and everything in-between. She’s been writing non-stop since she graduated from the University of Sioux Falls with a B.A. in English and Theatre, and she’s had two of her plays selected for production at local theatre companies. Her current big project is tackling her first novel, which she works on alongside at least five other short-term projects.
Featured image by Boldizsar Bednarik on Unsplash.
